Robert W. Buchanan

Robert W. Buchanan, M.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of the Maryland Early Intervention Program. He holds appointments at the Spring Grove Hospital Center and has expertise in schizophrenia research, including neuroanatomical investigations and novel pharmacological treatments. His research focuses on schizophrenia pathophysiology, treatment-resistant symptoms, and cognitive impairments. Dr. Buchanan has led federally funded projects such as the MATRICS initiative and TURNS consortium, contributing to clinical guidelines like the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) recommendations.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Lehigh University (1976)
• Medical Degree, UMNJ-New Jersey Medical School (1980)
• Residency in Psychiatry, George Washington University Medical Center (1984)
• Research Fellowship, University of Maryland School of Medicine (1988)

Research Interests: Dr. Buchanan’s work spans neuroimaging studies of schizophrenia (MRI, DTI, MRS) to evaluate structural and metabolic biomarkers, clinical trials of antipsychotics and adjunct therapies (e.g., oxytocin, minocycline), and the development of treatment algorithms. He also investigates social cognitive dysfunction and inflammatory mechanisms in schizophrenia.

Grants & Awards:

• NIH P50 Grant: Kynurenic Acid and Cognitive Abnormalities in Schizophrenia (PI)
• NCCIH Grant: Prebiotic Treatment in People with Schizophrenia (PI)
• Awarded as an ISI Highly Cited Researcher (2006, 2014–2016)
• Gerard E. Hogarty Excellence in Schizophrenia Research Award (2010)

Labs/Teams: Leads the Maryland Early Intervention Program and collaborates on the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT) and the Social Processes Initiative in Neurobiology of Schizophrenia (SPINS).